Principal Engineer

Principal Engineer

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Principal Engineer

Salary

$85,653.00 - $132,772.00 Annually

Location

101 City Hall Plaza, Durham, NC

Job Type

Full time with benefits

Remote Employment

Flexible/Hybrid

Job Number

26-05927

Department

Planning & Development

Opening Date

05/13/2026

Closing Date

Continuous

• Description

• Benefits

• Questions

Position Description

Work. Serve. Thrive. With the City of Durham

Advance in your career while making a real difference in the community you serve.

Hiring Range: $85,653.00 - $132,772.00

Hours: 8:00am - 5:00pm

This position is eligible for a one-time $5,000 sign-on bonus that will be paid upon successful completion of the new hire’s six-month probationary period. Internal promotional/transfer hires are not eligible for bonus.

***This position will also be posted as a Sr. Engineer. Only one position will be filled depending on qualifications. You must apply for both positions to be considered for either the Principal Engineer or the Senior Engineer position.

A flexible work environment, top-notch management, highly qualified, competent staff and opportunities for career advancement and professional success make the Planning & Development Department a great place to work. We help plan and direct Durham’s growth to support a high quality of life, a robust economy, and a sustainable, equitable, and accessible Durham for generations to come. We work collaboratively with other agencies and the community in a fast- paced, innovative environment looking for solutions to today’s land-use, community planning, and infrastructure challenges. If you’re talented, creative and focused on serving the community, join our team!

Devoted to providing engineering support, inspection, and professional civil engineering for a variety of public works, utilities, storm water, and transportation facilities/projects as well as review of public and private development projects. Perform fully proficient advanced engineering work in planning, design, construction, contract development and coordination of projects requiring independent evaluation and analysis of issues and the exercise of judgment. Decision-making includes selecting the method to address a problem or issue, subject to the constraints established by management objectives and direction. As assigned, work may include providing professional engineering work in the management and coordination of public works and infrastructure projects and development review processes for multi-modal transportation solutions (streets, bike lanes, and sidewalks), storm-water projects, GIS mapping systems, grading and erosion control projects, transportation planning, traffic control systems and renovation of City buildings.

Responsible for administering contracts; managing projects and tasks; assisting with the coordination of, and attending public meetings; completing special projects; researching, analyzing and compiling information to recommend engineering solutions and prepare reports and presentations; overseeing data-gathering and data analysis; assisting with grant applications and management; reviewing development plans; drafting agreements; drafting ordinances and council communications; performing field inspections; developing technical specifications; coordinating procurement processes; and maintaining records.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Manages projects, programs, and assigned department operations; develops and administers contracts; develops operational policies and procedures; establishes project and unit goals; develops project scope, budgets, and schedules; trains staff; improves safety and operational processes; and assists with preparing applications for and managing grants.

• Oversees data collection and analysis; conducts engineering studies; creates work plans and processes, identifying locations/areas requiring improvement; recommends and implements engineering and safety solutions; and tracks post-implementation project progress and requirements.

• Performs field inspections and monitors operations to ensure compliance with safety and other applicable regulations, policies, and procedures.

• Prepares, reviews, and analyzes engineering plans and bids, drawings, reports, contracts, agreements, presentations, specifications, request for proposals/qualifications, and other documentation; drafts ordinances and City Council communications; coordinates the review of and/or reviews design submittals from internal and external staff; develops technical specifications; and maintains records, logs, and databases.

• Assists with the coordination of and/or attends public meetings; provides technical expertise and consultation to City departments and external agencies; and provides training.

• Designs, implements, and evaluates special projects; may create drawings and plans as required.

• As assigned, an incumbent may serve as a lead worker, assigning work and monitoring work completion, or supervise paraprofessional and support staff, to include conducting performance evaluations; coordinating training; and implementing hiring, discipline, and termination procedures.

• Review development projects for the Infrastructure Review Group in relation to water, sanitary sewer, storm and street systems.

Minimum Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a directly related field.

• Five years of professional engineering experience in the area of assignment.

• A NC PE or registration as a PE in another state with the ability to obtain a NC PE within 6 months of hire.

• Valid North Carolina Class C Driver’s License with a satisfactory driving record acquired within a time frame established by the City.

Benefits – General Full-Time Employees

• 12-13 paid holidays per year

• 13 standard work days of vacation per year

• 13 standard work days of sick leave per year, which accumulates indefinitely; sick leave may be used toward early retirement

• 2 weeks paid military leave per year

• Medical, dental, vision, and supplemental life insurance plans

• State and City retirement plans

• Short and long term disability plans

• Paid temporary disability leave for specified conditions

• City contribution of 13.6% into the N.C. State Retirement System

• Paid funeral leave

• Employee Assistance Program - personal and family counseling

• Paid life insurance equal to annual salary

• 48 hours for volunteer work each year*

• 4 hours parental leave each year

• Workman's Compensation Insurance

• 457 Deferred Compensation Plans

Benefits - Part-Time (1,000 hours or more per year)

• 401(k) retirement plan (5.0% of salary)

• State retirement plan

Benefits Part-Time (Average 30 hours per week over 12 month period)

• 401(k) retirement plan (5.0% of salary)

• State retirement plan effective first day of the month following date of hire

• Health insurance effective first day of the month following date of hire

• Dental and life insurance, after one year of service

• Pro-rated vacation, pro-rated sick, pro-rated floating holiday, parttime holiday pay (based on scheduled hours for that day) after one year of service

01

Where did you first hear about this opportunity?

• City of Durham Website

• Walk in

• Job fair

• Employee referral

• Professional organization Please list the organization in "other" box below

• Internet posting Please list the specific web site in the "other" box below

• Craig's List

• Facebook

• LinkedIn

• GlassDoor

• governmentjobs.com

• Monster.com

• Indeed.com

• Employment Security Commission

• Magazine/Newspaper

• Other

02

If you listed "other" above please give specific web site, organization, or publication.

03

Please select your highest level of COMPLETED education.

• Less than a High School Diploma or Equivalent (GED, HiSET, TASC)

• High School Diploma or Equivalent (GED, HiSET, TASC)

• Associates Degree

• Bachelor's Degree

• Master's Degree

• Doctoral Degree (PhD, Juris Doctorate)

04

Do you have a NC PE registration or a registration as a PE in another state and are willing and able to obtain a NC PE within 6 months of hire?

• I have a NC PE registration

• I have a PE registration in another state and am willing and able to obtain a NC PE within 6 months of hire.

• I do not have a PE registration.

05

How many years of related professional engineering experience in the area of assignment do you have?

• No related experience

• Less than 1 year of related experience

• 1 year but less than 2 years of related experience

• 2 years but less than 5 years of related experience

• 5 or more years of related experience

06

Do you have a valid, unrestricted, North Carolina driver's license? (If you have a valid license from a State other than North Carolina, you must be willing and able to obtain a valid, unrestricted NC driver's license within 60 days of hire).

• I have a valid, unrestricted NC driver's license.

• I have a valid license from another State and I am willing to obtain a valid, unrestricted NC driver's license within 60 days.

• I do not have a valid, unrestricted driver's license.

Required Question